Delta, AMR active as airlines advance

AugustCole

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- Airline stocks guarded their gains and closed higher Wednesday as Delta Air Lines and US Airways led the rising issues in the sector.

The Amex Airline Index ($XAL) closed up 1.1 percent to 59.94.

Among the strongest gainers, US Airways Group
UAIR
gained 19 cents, or 3.8 percent, to $5.24. The airline is adding more nonstop flights from New York to the Caribbean and from Orlando, Fla., to Bermuda.

Heavily traded Delta Air Lines
DAL, +1.87%
gained 26 cents to $9.11. Blaylock & Partners analysts met with Delta representatives who talked about the company's lobbying plans this year to "rebuild the airline industry's image in Washington" and "fight for Homeland Security appropriations." Blaylock disclosed that it seeks banking business from the companies its analysts cover and the analysts, or their households, own Delta stock.

AMR
AMR, -4.00%
the parent of American Airlines, rose 40 cents to $15. American said it plans to add another nonstop daily flight from New York's Kennedy International Airport to San Francisco International in May and another nonstop to Seattle. An extra daily flight from LaGuardia to Orlando is planned starting June 10 and from LaGuardia to Miami starting in July.

American is also adding flights to Jamaica, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic.

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